Explore Seattle’s Revitalized Pioneer Square
Touring Seattle's Pioneer Square Neighborhood
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Copal
Matt Dillon, the James Beard Award–winning chef behind some of Seattle’s most beloved restaurants (Sitka and Spruce, Tavolata) was an early Pioneer Square pioneer, opening Spanish hotspot Bar Sajor in 2013 and then a year later, across the cobblestoned pedestrian street, the exquisite London Plane. His latest gift to the neighborhood is Copal, a light-flooded Latin American restaurant that opened December 2016 in the former Bar Sajor space. The place exudes a laid-back Mexican surf shack vibe (turquoise-painted wood banquettes, a bar clad in high-contrast black-and-white concrete tiles) and turns out creative wood-fired dishes like grilled Salvadorean cheese and smoked beef tacos. 323 Occidental Ave. S.; copalseattle.com
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The Sovereign
When the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 raged through Pioneer Square—then Seattle’s central business district—it ravaged 25 city blocks and much of the neighborhood’s infrastructure. When the neighborhood rebuilt, it did so 22 feet above the original street level. Though you can join tourists on a guided underground tour, a more civilized way to experience subterranean Seattle is to descend into the neighborhood’s newest bar, The Sovereign, carved out of what was once the ground floor of a stately bank, now secreted below grade. The transporting bar is an intriguing, tropical-inspired mashup of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, with the original floor tile and iron-and-marble chandeliers complemented by William Morris-esque wallpaper and pressed-tin ceilings. Try the matcha mule, a concoction made from powdered green tea–infused vodka, lime, and dry ginger beer, or the house seasonal punch served, the menu promises, “in gaudy vintage crystal.” 119 1st Avenue S.; sovereignseattle.com
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A charming general store-meets-curiosity shop run by a mother-daughter-daughter trio.
It’s a family affair at E. Smith Mercantile, a charming general store-meets-curiosity shop run by a mother-daughter-daughter trio. Artfully displayed within its crumbly brick walls are all manner of temptations you didn’t know you needed: delicate gold jewelry, buttery suede moccasins, housemade cardamom bitters, even scotch-infused “artisan toothpicks.” Matriarch Kate Poole, the founder of Essential Apothecary Alchemist, cooks up natural beauty potions and products in the basement lab and just opened a pint-size spa beneath the shop. Daughters Sara and Jessie helm the kitchen and drinks, respectively, dishing up creative cocktails and bites at the horseshoe-shaped back bar, which seats just 15. Line up for weekend brunch to observe Seattle’s hippest crowd in its natural habitat. 208 1st Ave S.; esmithmercantile.com
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Division Road
Open only since October 2016, Division Road is a dapper men’s shop—or rather, “a post-modern industrial haberdashery,” in the words of owner Jason Pecarich—whose handsome goods are matched only by the handsomeness of its setting: oriental rugs and polished concrete underfoot; reclaimed wood and glossy black tile swathing the walls. Dedicated largely to 50 to 200-year-old brands from North America, Western Europe, and Japan, the shop spotlights luxury goods such as black waxed boots from Viberg, Melton wool overshirts from Dehen 1920, and mélange French terry sweats from Reigning Champ—“stuff that’s designed and made to last like workwear, from a bygone era, but doesn’t look like it,” says Pecarich. He also partners with manufacturers to create custom capsule collections exclusive to the shop; next up is a Japanese Tiger Strip Camouflage M65 jacket created with Corridor NYC. 536 1st Avenue S.; divisionroadinc.com
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Elm Street Coffee Roasters
Seattle needs another coffee shop like a fish needs a bicycle, and yet…the minimalist Elm truly brought something new to the neighborhood when it opened in 2015. The place draws a midday crowd of designers and other creatives who work nearby—not only for the small-batch, single-origin coffee, which owner Brendan Mullally lightly roasts on-site, but for the stylish blond wood-and-concrete interior, which appears flooded with light on even the grayest days. If you like what you taste you can sign up for Elm’s weekly or bi-monthly coffee subscription, which ships out a new varietal in a 12-ounce paper bag right to your door. 240 2nd Ave S #103; elmcoffeeroasters.com
